<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Tip The Scales by pufflers</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29988669">Tip The Scales</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pufflers/pseuds/pufflers'>pufflers</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sebek Birthday Drabble Extravaganza [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:15:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,636</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29988669</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pufflers/pseuds/pufflers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Walking in on one’s scale grooming session, why there isn’t a crime worse than that and for Sebek to do so against the great Malleus Draconia, crowned prince and his beloved young master?! Why he’ll never be able to forgive himself for such an action!!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Malleus Draconia/Sebek Zigvolt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sebek Birthday Drabble Extravaganza [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2188443</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Tip The Scales</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Young Master, I brought you the tea you asked for!"</p><p>No answer. </p><p>Hmm that was… <em> strange? </em></p><p>Sebek stood in front of the door to Malleus' private chambers, stained a beautiful dark rich brown and currently shut. The tray he's holding clatters a bit as he shifts it to one hand, the other being used to knock against the door. Malleus had always had stellar hearing so he never had to knock much (served more as a courtesy than anything else) but at times he was rather preoccupied so a knock alerted his attention.</p><p>Nothing, not even a shuffle or a muffled word of acknowledgement.</p><p>His gloved hand rasps against the wood once more, a bit more feverently, all sorts of thoughts worry at his brow. Is the Young Master okay? Is he perhaps in a position he can't answer to Sebek's calls? But what if that implies he's in <em> danger?! </em> The Young Master is in <em> danger!!! </em></p><p>Despite the absurdity in his giant leaps in logic, he pushes open the door in his frantic state, resulting in a loud thud as it slams against the wall it's hinged to. The concept that it's unlocked proves otherwise against his spiralling thoughts but Sebek pays it no heed, he must make sure his Young Mas-</p><p>His mouth is open in mid shout but he chokes back the noise instead to swallow dryly when he discerns that Malleus is in fact<em> not </em> in any sort of peril...</p><p>He's seated, his blazer hangs around the back of his chair, his vest thrown haphazardly on his bed and only dressed down in the academy’s issued uniform pants and dress shirt. He's quite in the casual state of wear which is an odd sight but that’s not what causes Sebek to redden.</p><p>A tail lies on his lap, the beautiful black scales shimmer in the light and Malleus has a scrubbing brush in hand.</p><p>Had he w-walked in on his grooming session?</p><p>"Ah, Sebek," the crowned prince gently smiles, "You can leave the tea by my desk, I'm in the mi--" </p><p>"I APOLOGISE GREATLY, YOUNG MASTER," Sebek bends at his waist, bowing down as the tea set rattles in his hold at the sudden action. </p><p>"Hmm? Anything in particular to apologise for?" </p><p>"I've interrupted you in the midst of," his cheeks flush even brighter having to voice such a thing, "In the m-midst of you tending to your scales…" </p><p>He foolishly barged in on him in such an intimate state?! How can he ever forgive himself for such a dishonour?! No, this is worth a felony!! Even worse than that!!!</p><p>"It's quite alright Sebe--"</p><p>"I must make it up to you, my lord!! If there's anything I can do so you can overlook thi-" Sebek shakes his head, "No, <em> forgive </em> me for such a sli--"</p><p>"Then help me see to the care of it," Malleus announces, his regal tone cuts through to Sebek’s frenzied state, causing the boy to snap his head towards the other. "It's rather tiring to oversee that every single scale is properly brushed… you know more than <em> anyone </em> how much of a task it is," and he sighs in exasperation because it <em> is </em> exhausting to clean his scales all by himself and any help he can get is <em> greatly </em> appreciated.</p><p>H-Help?! Oh Sebek’s sure to faint if they continue this topic...</p><p>Fae culture had its quirks, each differing quite vastly between households and certain classes of faeries but what had predominantly been agreed upon amongst the more reptilian sort was that scale grooming was a practice reserved for one's beloved. After all, who else would you allow so close to such a sensitive appendage?</p><p>"Young Master, I c-can't do that, I'm a mere servant it would be appalling if I were to perform such a--!!" </p><p>Malleus chuckles, always amused by his guard's eccentric reactions, "Then consider this a whim you wish to fulfill by the prince's urging. In any case we are the only ones who inhabit this room as of now so none shall be alerted if that's what worries you, yes?”</p><p>Right, no one would be <em> aware </em> of this, there was no need to get into such a tizzy…</p><p>Sebek nods hesitantantly, slowly walking further into the room as he shuts the door behind him. He sets the tray of the prized tea he brewed upon the desk Malleus motioned towards, and sits on the only other chair in the room.</p><p>Next to Malleus.</p><p>"...p-pardon me," his fingers shake as he tenderly takes his lord's gorgeous tail onto his own lap, his scales are cold to the touch but that is to be expected, he is of the dragon variety… and yet Sebek finds himself shivering despite the gloves that cover his hands.</p><p>When Malleus passes him the brush Sebek flinches, swiftly apologising once more when he drops the item on the floor from his improper hold on it. Malleus watches with mirth as Sebek scrambles to get a hold of both the brush and his senses.</p><p>It was endearing how much he seemed to fumble about when he was near him, rather clumsy wasn't he? Was that the effect he had on him? </p><p>However he has little time to muse over it as Sebek begins to diligently go over every scale, making sure each one glimmers like the most lovely of onyx stones. Malleus sighs in contentment, relaxing into the slow rhythmic brushing, the light touches…</p><p>It feels nice to be taken care of, especially by someone who was knowledgeable of scale care such as Sebek who had his own scales to see to, albeit he's never seen them himself...</p><p>How long has it been since he was treated so softly like this? Perhaps more decades than he bothered to count. After a certain number it was merely troublesome to keep track of such a construct as the passage of time.</p><p>He finds himself dozing off, lulled to a light sleep…</p><p>His eyes snap open when he feels a sharp prick near the tip of his tail.</p><p>"Ah, forgive me, my lord!!" Sebek rushed out, he had accidentally applied too much pressure in the midst of brushing.</p><p>"You needn't fret over it, a little discomfort will do me no harm," Malleus reassures him, he's not a porcelain doll, a few nicks here and there are nothing to him.</p><p>"No, I just <em> know </em> how sensitive they can be…" the first year mumbles out, abashed, "I'll be more careful from now on." </p><p>"So you weren't careful before?" He chuckles as he raises an eyebrow, a mischievous smile on his face.</p><p>"NO WAIT THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT--!!"</p><p>Malleus raises up his hand to cut him off, "At ease I was merely teasing you, you have a rather gentle touch." He shivers as he's suddenly struck with the memory of his caretaker <em> helping </em> him out as it were, and he adds with a whisper, "...A lot <em> more </em> gentler than Lilia..." </p><p>Sebek's interest successfully piqued at seeing such an adverse reaction from his master, he can't help but ask. "Ah, pardon for prying but… he helped you?" </p><p>"Perhaps I was too kind in donning the term 'helping' for what he did…" the fae huffs out, "While a dragon may share its features with lizards I think it's too much to ask that we <em> also </em> regenerate amputated tails. He practically ripped it off!"</p><p>Sebek muffles the chortle that threatens to leave his throat, it would be rather unkind of him to laugh at his lord’s misery like that. </p><p>"I felt like the bristles in his hand became needles prickling at every scale! Can you believe such a thing?!" </p><p>Malleus’ tail wiggles in his hold, swiveling every which way as its owner becomes increasingly agitated, accentuating everytime his voice raises in pitch. </p><p>“And to think the old bat still has the audacity to giggle about it to this day! How would <em> he </em> like it if I nearly tore his cherished wings off and had a great laugh over it?!!”</p><p>His master’s face is fixed into a pout so terribly cute, his eyes narrowed as he glares at the floor, and his tail beating to the silent rhythm of his faux tantrum which serves as the final nail in the coffin.</p><p>The laughter he tried so desperately to swallow down rings out, loud and boisterous as it bounces off the walls of Malleus’ bedroom. When Sebek finally realises his misconduct, he’s terrified to meet his lord’s disappointment but instead he timidly looks up to find the same glee mirrored on his face.</p><p>He clears his throat awkwardly, “Young Master…”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“I've finished with what I could reach, the other scales are far too close to the base of your tail…” the red flush on his face that stubbornly refused to leave in Malleus’ presence darkens, “I’m sure you would be more comfortable if you attended to it by yourse--!“</p><p>He prepares to stand up but a tail coils around his left hand, binding if in a vice grip and prevents him from making any further movement. Confusion floods his features at the restraint Malleus imposed upon him.</p><p>“Won’t you indulge me for just a bit longer?” </p><p>“If my lord so wishes it then I s-suppose I can…”</p><p>“It’s my wish if you share it as well.”</p><p>When Sebek next opens his mouth, his voice is small and uncharastically meek, unrecognisable to even himself, completely unused to voicing his own whims to the master he serves of all people.</p><p>“...if you can forgive my greed then y-yes…”</p><p>“I can. Dare I say you can afford to be <em>more</em> greedy.”</p><p>"Young m-master...?"</p><p>"Heed me no attention. As you were, Sebek."</p><p>Sebek nods as he returns to brushing his master's lustrous scales, in a room that seemed much more stiffling than when he first walked in.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>